ICT will play an increasingly significant role in future in improving healthcare and in diagnosing and treating diseases. IT equip- ment is already in use or being tested in hospitals today. New services for the health sector demand research and development in many areas of technology, from microsystem technology via software systems through to communication technology.
a) Mobile monitoring systems will permit patients an independent and simultaneously safe life in future. There will be no need to stay in hospital just for observation. Scientists are currently working on the development of monitoring systems for continuous monitoring of vital bodily functions.
b) Mobile analysis systems could soon make lengthy laboratory tests dispensable. Emergency doctors can then examine patients directly on the spot and take life-saving treatment decisions immediately. These mini-laboratories offer heaps of intelligence. Reagents and reaction products have to be transported in a tiny space from one place to the next, samples have to be injected, treated and analyzed, and suitable ambient conditions have to be provided for the reactions. In addition, the test results have to be registered and evaluated.
c) The development of isolated monitoring systems alone is not sufficient. The patient is not interested in data but in health services offering him concrete help, e.g. mobility and safety for risk patients, self-determining living conditions for senior citizens or contacting the doctor quickly. To do so, the monitoring systems have to be integrated in networks. Software platforms must permit the development of simply handled services and address issues of data security.
Challenges
Continuous registration of patient data needs sensor systems inside and outside the body. Up to now, insular solutions have solved these tasks, i.e. the data are only stored in the device. And so there are ambulant appliances, for example for measuring blood pressure levels over 24 hours or blood sugar levels over 72 hours. Their recording capacities are limited. The aim now is on the one hand to develop miniaturized new sensor systems, and on the other hand to bring the insular solutions together in net- worked health services. There must be seamless possible uses in changing environments (at home, en route, in the car, etc.).
The user interfaces must permit intuitive use or work automatically and with individual adaptation. 4
Objectives
The aim is for ICT to bring more quality of life to risk patients and senior citizens in the health sector. In concrete terms, quality of life means more mobility, a greater feeling of safety, greater independence in shaping their lives and an increase in social contact possibilities. At the same time, the health sector is a large market. The aim of the lead innovation is therefore also for new health services to provide new jobs in Germany. Finally, ICT-based health services will help to reduce costs in the health sector while at the same time enhancing the quality of services provided and taking better account of the individual needs of men and women.
4 In the context of the technology project NextGenerationMedia, the BMWi supports the development and testing of pioneering, integrated telemedical applications that combine the possibilities of state-of-the-art radio-based sensor technologies, efficient mobile communication technologies and intelligent software while also displaying new forms of service and business models.
Together with purely medical prevention and aftercare, this also applies to the lifestyle growth market.
Strategic partners
Manufacturers and suppliers of technical medical equipment, communications service providers and suppliers of communication technologies; centres of excellence for medical technology, research institutes; representatives of medical specialists, BMWi.
Research topics and technological prerequisites
Telemedicine (e.g. 24 / 7 telemonitoring including communication); computer aided diagnosis, therapy planning and therapy support, navigation in minimally invasive surgery and intervention, functional and cell-biological imaging (e.g. large appliances such as MRI), networking miniaturized sensors and actuators (e.g. intelligent implants, point-of-care and drug delivery), image processing, knowledge management, software technologies, development of flexible software platforms as the basis for new services in the health sector, intuitive and automatic user interfaces, services with automatic situative adaptation, standardi- zation, real time capability, possibilities for seamless use in changing surroundings.
Microtechnological appliance system for cryobiological living storage of multicellular
aggregates (µCryoLab). (Fraunhofer IBMT)
The picture shows nerves in the brain made visible by means of special magnetic resonance imaging procedures from Siemens Medical Solutions. (Siemens AG)
4.1.2 Technology alliances
In order to establish and expand technological leadership, thus also preserving Germany’s position at the forefront of technology, major technology challenges have to be faced on an interdisciplinary scale across all the sectors, while at the same time bundling all activities (from research through to the general conditions). It is particularly advisable to orient activities to technological issues when it comes to questions of standardization and where a critical mass is needed in the context of international competition.
The specific technological alignment of a concerted inno- vation strategy is implemented in the concept of technology alliances. Technology alliances consist of horizontal strategic cooperation between science and industry, focusing on a technological objective which aims to preserve and expand technological leadership and open up potential applications on a broad basis. They are identified jointly by science and industry while at the same time bundling research capacities and research funds across all sectors and disciplines.
The success of the technology alliances depends on being aligned to the technology-oriented timeframes (roadmaps) and on integrating different areas of applications / sectors.
The technology alliances go beyond the research phase; in the context of the intended technology transfer, they make preparations for harmonization phases and corresponding implementation in standards, as well as devising general conditions for future use of the technology. The aim here is to achieve interoperability and open standards. As with the lead innovations, here again additional strategic partners are being consulted, such as associations and civic associa- tions, and the possible need for young skilled employees and qualification is being addressed at an early stage as an integral element of the technology alliance.
The aim of cooperation between science and industry is to bridge the gaps between technologies and areas of appli- cation / sectors. But in contrast to the lead innovations, here the role of ICT is more that of an enabler than a basis for con- crete innovations. Here again, industry is expected to make its own considerable (financial) contribution. Such commit- ment is featured in the agreements reached between the par- ties in just the same way as the operational objectives of co- operation. Technology alliances run from three to ten years.
At present, the industry-science dialogue is focusing on the following technology alliances:
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Digital product memory
Standards for communication of the future Virtual technologies and real products
Ambient intelligence for autonomous networked systems.
This list is by no means conclusive. Other technology associa- tions can and should be defined during the period of the pro- gramme and during any continuation. Science and industry together with politics are being asked to conceive of further technology associations. The BMBF will consult independent experts when making its funding decision.